Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund Criteria, Conditions and Guidelines 2018

Transcription

1 Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund Criteria, Cnditins and Guidelines

2 Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund - Criteria, Cnditins and Guidelines INTRODUCTION Turism is ne f Sctland s seven key ecnmic sectrs and is especially imprtant t ur rural areas. The increasing ppularity f utstanding scenic areas stimulated by marketing successes such as the Nrth Cast 500, film turism and the huge grwth in cruise liner arrivals has led t rapid increases in visitr numbers. This has resulted in sme areas, at certain times f the year, experiencing pressure n infrastructure and negative impacts n sme lcal cmmunities. Many f ur mre remte rural areas and free natural attractins are served by narrw r even single track rads, and ften lack facilities such as parking, scenic laybys and public tilets. These rads are primarily designed fr regular lcal traffic and nt suited t increased usage during peak times. Visitrs are ften nt sufficiently experienced t drive these rutes, particularly in hired campervans. On the 10 th Octber 2017 the First Minister annunced a 6 millin rural turism infrastructure fund t address sme f these cncerns. A summary f her statement is prvided belw: Sctland s islands and rural cmmunities attract visitrs frm acrss the glbe. The turist bm that ur cuntry is enjying is great news. It means mre jbs and investment but it can als mean pressure n transprt, services and facilities especially in rural areas. The Scttish Gvernment is determined t help. Our new 6 millin rural turism infrastructure fund will take bids frm cmmunities and wrk with lcal cuncils t supprt prjects that enable even mre peple t enjy Sctland, the mst beautiful cuntry in the wrld. The Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund will supprt cllabrative prjects that fcus n imprving the visitr experience in rural parts f Sctland that have faced pressure n their infrastructure r negative impacts n cmmunities due t significant increases in visitr numbers. The types f prject that culd be supprted include parking, camping facilities, dispsal pints (especially fr camper vans) and tilet prvisin. The fund is a platfrm which will prvide leverage f additinal and fcused investment, stimulate cllabratin and build capacity within cmmunities. Successful applicatins must demnstrate the fllwing: An enhanced visitr experience A sustainable apprach Cmmunity capacity building Effective partnerships and cllabratin Prject viability and deliverability 2

3 Please read this dcument if yu are cnsidering applying as it will prvide key infrmatin that may affect yur applicatin. 1. Assessment criteria 2. Applicant Eligibility 3. Eligible prjects 4. Funding 5. Mnitring and evaluatin 6. Recgnitin and acknwledgement 7. Hw t apply 1. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA The Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund is designed t supprt sustainable, well planned, inspiring and cllabrative infrastructure prjects in rural areas that are experiencing increased pressure frm visitr numbers. Successful applicatins will meet the fllwing bjectives: An enhanced visitr experience thrugh the prvisin f imprved visitr facilities and infrastructure, particularly in areas that have experienced pressure frm increased visitr numbers, leading t a psitive impact n the lcal visitr ecnmy A sustainable apprach applicants are expected t take a strategic and lng term apprach in their planning, use f materials, impact n the envirnment and legacy implicatins f the asset created after prject cmpletin Cmmunity capacity building creating mre resilient cmmunities mre able t cpe with peak turism demands and the creatin f new lcal business pprtunities Effective partnerships and cllabratin engagement with lcal cmmunity grups, destinatin rganisatins and turism businesses, demnstrating hw partnership wrking can increase awareness, advcacy and the quality f the final prject Prject viability and deliverability applicants must prvide evidence f: A clear strategic ratinale and prpsitin fr the prpsed activity Prven experience f prject management and financial administratin A clear timetable fr prcurement, site start date and expected time f cmpletin A clear delivery plan demnstrating value fr mney and measurable utputs If successful, applicants will be required t prvide a detailed budget ver the perid f the prject 3

4 2. APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY Funding thrugh the Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund Prgramme shuld als meet the eligibility criteria set ut belw: Applicatins must be submitted by a Lcal Authrity r Natinal Park Authrity in Sctland. A cllabrative apprach must be demnstrated with a strng buy-in and prject supprt frm lcal cmmunities and turism grups Applicatins demnstrating a strng fcus n enhancing the visitr experience and cmmunity engagement will be priritised We wuld expect yur Delivery Plan t shw a strng emphasis n quality and sustainable develpment practices and a fit with a lcal turism plan r reginal turism strategy 3. ELIGIBLE PROJECTS The fllwing utlines activities that are eligible and ineligible thrugh the Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund Prgramme. Activity eligible fr supprt thrugh Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund award includes:- Parking, scenic laybys, camping facilities and dispsal pints (especially fr camper vans), and tilet prvisin. (NB the fund will be guided by Eurpean State Aid legislatin and wuld nt apply t the cmmercial prvisin f such facilities) Essential imprvement wrks t paths t cpe with visitr pressure r imprve sustainable visitr management in the immediate area can be included in the prject prpsal. Other measures such as directinal rad signage, waymarks and imprved interpretatin can als be included The fund will als be able t supprt ther interventins that encurage sustainable turism, fr example, recycling pints and ptentially enhanced access t natural attractins The fund will nly be applicable t rural areas as defined by the Scttish Gvernment s fficial Urban/Rural classificatin accessible and remte rural areas excluding settlements abve 3000 peple Cnsideratin will be given t sustainable, innvative, integrated prjects which reslve bth an immediate visitr pressure pint but take accunt f wider area pressures Applicants must prvide sme level f match funding r resurce prvisin frm public sectr, cmmunity grup r private sectr. This need nt be direct financial input and culd take the frm f in-kind supprt, such as land prvided fr the develpment r apprpriate prject develpment and management csts absrbed by the Applicant There is an expectatin that apprved applicatins will need t shw evidence f and cmmitment t n-ging maintenance after prject cmpletin The fund will cver all capital csts and nt revenue Where apprpriate prjects supprted by the fund shuld create DDA cmpliant infrastructure 4

5 Activity ineligible fr supprt thrugh Rural Turism Infrastructure Grant Fund award includes:- The purpse f the fund is t imprve public infrastructure at visitr pressure pints. It will nt be fr funding new attractins, but rather mitigate existing pressures The fund is fr rural areas acrss Sctland (as defined abve), but wuld exclude twns and larger villages within these lcatins. Primarily it is t supprt infrastructure requirements arund (nn-paid fr) visitr r natural attractins, i.e. areas f utstanding scenic beauty, that have attracted increased visitr numbers and t stp these areas frm degenerating, as well as benefitting lcal cmmunities in the area The Infrastructure fcus shuld be fr turism, nt cmmunity asks (i.e. village halls, playparks) The fund will nt supprt the develpment r creatin f Bradband infrastructure The Fund will nt supprt the prductin f marketing and prmtinal materials, such as leaflets, web sites r scial media activity Prjects where there is either n evidence f cmmunity need/supprt r there are significant bjectins within the cmmunity Rutine maintenance r repair f cycling and walking infrastructure the exceptin t this, as utlined abve, is where the creatin f a new r enhanced path linked t a wider envirnmental imprvement wuld be eligible Prjects which have a negative impact n the natural heritage, including species and habitats, gelgy, landscapes and water curses. Advice shuld be sught early n frm apprpriate bdies such as Scttish Natural Heritage and SEPA Applicatins that have been previusly been refused planning permissin Majr rad imprvement wrks The Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund team wrk clsely with ther public sectr agencies t ensure alignment f Grant award scheme pprtunities. Yur Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund Manager can discuss this with yu and signpst as apprpriate. 5

6 4. FUNDING Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund awards are available frm 50,000 t a maximum f 300,000 The Grant can prvide Applicants with up t 70% f apprved prject activity Applicants must prvide sme level f match funding r resurce prvisin frm public sectr, cmmunity grup r private sectr. This culd be in the frm f land prvided fr the develpment r prject develpment r management csts absrbed by the Applicant Applicatins that demnstrate a higher level f match funding may be priritised N limit is planned fr the number f applicatins that can be submitted ver the 2 year lifespan f the fund, hwever, funding decisins will take accunt f need thrughut the cuntry and gegraphic spread. Any underspends will have t be returned t the fund Applicants must be able t demnstrate that they have already secured the required match funding when making the applicatin. There is an expectatin that funding awarded will be spent within 12 mnths f the award apprval date althugh a phased apprach ver the ttal prject perid will be accepted N grants will be awarded retrspectively. Applicants must ensure n activity cmmences prir t the Grant agreement being signed Please nte, it is a vital requirement that all supprting dcumentatin must be kept in full All successful applicants shuld expect t be audited, at ne payment pint, thrughut the perid f cntract. At this pint the rganisatin will be required t prduce all requested supprting dcumentatin t the Rural Turism Infrastructure Team The final end date that prjects need t be cmpleted and final payments/claims made is 31 st March 2020 Hw funding is awarded Where the applicatin includes a prject design which has been judged by VisitSctland t require further design input in rder t ensure that the prject bjectives are fulfilled, a prvisinal award may be allcated. This wuld allw the applicant t prgress design wrks t a maximum f 10% f the verall budget applied fr. It is recgnised that sme prjects may require either planning permissin r an envirnmental assessment r bth. T streamline the prcess, applicatins shuld at least have apprval in principle t be cnsidered. All applicatins will be expected t cmply with apprpriate prcurement rules. Where the decisin making panel is satisfied, based n the infrmatin prvided within the applicatin, that the prject design is sufficiently advanced, that the prject fulfils the prgramme bjectives and that the prject is f a suitably high quality then a full award may be allcated. 6

7 State Aid State Aid issues will be assessed n individual prjects. VAT The applicant acknwledges that the Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund Award is nt subject t VAT. Under n circumstances will the Award be increased, shuld any VAT liability arise fr the applicant grup, and, fr the avidance f dubt, the Award is inclusive f VAT, if any, payable theren. It will be the respnsibility f the applicant grup t ensure that their treatment f VAT relative t the Award is crrect. 5. MONITORING AND EVALUATION One f the key requirements f the fund is t mnitr and evaluate yur prject, track its prgress, understand what activity has been delivered and, where apprpriate, what the direct and indirect impact f the prject has been n the area r cmmunity benefitting frm the funding. It is imprtant that yu gather evidence that demnstrates the impact f yur prject. Yu will need t describe hw yu will d this in yur applicatin frm. Mnitring and evaluatin is useful, in terms f being able t further develp and learn frm the prject wrk undertaken. At the end f the Agreement perid, and as a cnditin f the final payment, yu must submit a final evaluatin reprt, and a full financial accunt reprted against agreed budget. Yur Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund Manager will prvide a cpy f the Fund Mnitring and Evaluatin Guidelines and will supprt yu thrugh this prcess. 6. RECOGNITION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT As part f the Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund Agreement all supprted prjects are required t acknwledge Scttish Gvernment supprt and in all PR undertaken as part f the prject. 7. HOW TO APPLY The Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund Panel meets 2 times per year. The 2018/19 Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund Panel dates are: Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund Panel September 2018 Applicatin Deadlines The deadline fr initial expressins f interest is 27 April 2018 The deadline fr final applicatin is 27 July 2018 March 2019 The deadline fr initial expressins f interest is 26 Octber 2018 The deadline fr final applicatin is 25 January

8 Please nte Applicants must discuss their prpsal with a member f the Rural Turism Infrastructure team prir t making a full applicatin well in advance f the abve deadlines. Please cntact the team at RTIF@visitsctland.cm t discuss yur applicatin, r cmplete the expressin f interest frm and we can get back t yu. T help with yur preparatin and planning, applicatin frms are available t dwnlad at r, t request an applicatin frm cntact the Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund team at RTIF@visitsctland.cm Yu will be prvided with a schedule f deadlines at n-line enquiry stage. The applicatin prcess takes apprximately three mnths frm initial enquiry thrugh t cnsideratin by the Rural Turism Infrastructure Fund Panel. VisitSctland aims t ntify applicants f the utcme f their applicatin within 14 wrking days f the decisin making panel meeting. Yur award, will be paid in instalments against an agreed payment schedule, in line with mnitring and evaluatin requirements and subject t audit prcedures as previusly indicated. The final instalment will be made fllwing the submissin and apprval f a satisfactry final mnitring and evaluatin reprt. 8